Imibono Yami Njengesazi-mlando Sezempi
Kwakungomhla ka-25 ku-August 1944. Indawo: iParis, eFrance. Njengoba i-jeep yethu yayehla eChamps Élysées ebanzi, kwakudingeka sehle kuyo izikhathi eziningana futhi sizifihle eminyango njengoba izinhlamvu zamasosha amaNazi zazitshuza emgwaqweni.
LOLOSUKU lwaqalisa ukukhululwa kweParis emabuthweni kaHitler phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, futhi ngangiphakathi kwamaMelika okuqala angena kulelodolobha. Izixuku zamadoda nabesifazane baseFrance ezijabulile zagcwala emigwaqweni ukuze zisamukele njengabakhululi. Sachitha lobobusuku ehhotela likanokusho elalishiywe ngokuphamazela ngalo lolosuku ekuseni izikhulu zamaJalimane eziphakeme.
NgangiseYurophu njengelungu leqembu lamabutho ezempi elaziwayo emlandweni elaliphethe imisebenzi ye-U.S. Third Army, eyayiphethwe uJenene George S. Patton, Jr.
Imibuzo Eyaphakanyiswa Impi
Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokungena eParis, sahamba emigwaqweni emincane okwakusanda kususwa kuyo izinqola zempi ezishisiwe zamaJalimane. Samisa ehlathini endaweni yokukanisa kwamabutho eyayisanda kucekelwa phansi amabutho ase-U.S. Izidumbu zamasosha aseJalimane zazidindilizile, zisontekile futhi zivithizekile. Izintshasipele zamabhande awo zazinamazwi avamile athi, “uNkulunkulu unathi.” Nokho, odongeni lwamatshe oluseduze, isosha elithile laseJalimane lalibhale isicelo esithi, “Mholi [uHitler], sisize!”
Lokho kukhulumela okubili kwashiya umbono ongacimeki engqondweni yami. Kolunye uhlangothi, umbuso wamaNazi wawugomela ngokuthi uNkulunkulu unawo, kodwa ngakolunye uhlangothi, isosha lalicela insindiso kumholi, uHitler. Ngaqaphela ukuthi lendida yayingamangalisi kumaJalimane. Kwakufana nhlangothi zombili zalempi esabekayo. Ngakho ngazibuza, ‘Ingabe uNkulunkulu uthatha uhlangothini ezimpini? UNkulunkulu usohlangothini lukabani?’
Izimpi Nezibikezelo Zempi
Ngazalelwa eButte, eMontana, ngo-1917, unyaka iMelika eyangenela ngawo impi yezwe yokuqala. Ngemva kokuphothula izifundo esikoleni sangasese ngo-1936, ngangena eYunivesithi yaseStanford eCalifornia. Nokho, ngathola ukuthi izifundo zonyaka wokuqala ezazidingeka zazidina uma ziqhathaniswa nezenzakalo ezivusa amadlingozi ezaziqhubeka embulungeni yonke. IJapane yayihlasele iChina, uMussolini wayenqobe iTopiya, futhi iMpi Yombango yaseSpain yayidlangile. Kuleyompi amaNazi, amaFascist, namaKhomanisi babehlola izikhali namacebo abo okuphaka impi bezilungiselela iMpi Yezwe II, kuyilapho iNhlangano Yezizwe yayisonge izandla.
Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye, ngayeka ekolishi, kunalokho ngemvume kababa, ngakhetha ukusebenzisa yonke imali eyayibekelwe imfundo yami ukuze ngihambele eYurophu nase-Afrika. Ngawela uLwandlekazi i-Atlantic ekwindla ka-1938 ngomkhumbi waseJalimane, i-Deutschland, futhi saphikisana isikhathi eside nezikhulu ezisezintsha zamaJalimane esasigibele nazo ngokuphathelene namandla eJalimane likaHitler uma eqhathaniswa nemibuso yaseBrithani neFrance. EParis abantu babekhuluma ngezinsongo, ukuqhosha, nezithembiso zamuva zikaHitler, kodwa ukuphila kwakuqhubeka njengokuvamile. Lapho ngivakashele iTangier, e-Afrika, ngangivame ukuzwa imisindo yempi eSpain ekhungethwe yimpi yombango, ngaphesheya nje kweNtuba yaseGibraltar.
Lapho ngibuyela e-United States ngo-1939, ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakuzovela inhlekelele ngezikhathi zethu. Ngemva kokuba amaJapane ehlasele iPearl Harbor ngo-December 1941, okwaholela i-United States eMpini Yezwe II, ngajoyina i-Army Transport Service njengesakhamuzi esingahilelekile empini. Ngo-1942, lapho ngise-Alaska, ngathola incwadi yobizo evela emnyang wenkonzo yomphakathi ephoqelelwe.
Ukuya EziQhingini ZaseBrithani
Ngemva kokuvakashela ekhaya, ngafakwa ebuthweni futhi ngasebenza e-United States unyaka owodwa. Ngase ngithunyelwa eNgilandi ngomkhumbi, ihele lethu lemikhumbi lisuka oGwini oluseMpumalanga lwe-United States ngentwasahlobo ka-1944. Ukuzwa kwami impi okokuqala kwenzeka eNyakatho Atlantic lapho umkhumbi-ngwenya waseJalimane ucwilisa umkhumbi owawuseceleni kowethu. Ihele lethu lahlukana, futhi umkhumbi ngamunye wawuzozibonela kusukela lapho kuya eLiverpool.
Lapho elindele isabelo esikhungweni esithile eNgilandi, amabutho aqoqwa ukuze alalele inkulumo yomqeqeshi webutho. Kwakungikhathaza ukuthi abaqeqeshi babeshoshozelela amadoda ukuba alwe empini ngokumelene namalungu ezinhlangano zawo zenkolo angasohlangothini oluphikisayo, kodwa njalo bezisholo ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayesekela uhlangothi lwabo lwempi. Ngokusobala, izinhlangothi zombili zazingasekelwa uNkulunkulu.
Ngentwasahlobo ka-1944, iziQhingi zaseBrithani zazigcwele amabutho nezikhali zaseMelika naseBrithani. UJenene Patton (ngezansi), owayedume ngamacebo akhe esibindi emikhankasweni yaseSicily naseNyakatho Afrika, wanikeza izinkulumo zokufaka ugqozi ezishukumisayo ezashiya amabutho engasingabazi isizathu esasenza ukuba abe lapho—ukubulala izitha eziningi ngangokunokwenzeka ngazo zonke izikhali ezitholakalayo kuze kunqotshwe. UPatton wayefana nebutho eliqeqeshekile losuku lwanamuhla: emude, ehlomile futhi efake isigqoko sempi, futhi egqoke inyufomu yakhe ngobuqhathanzipho—ijazi lakhe lempi lalicwebezela izinkanyezi nemihlobiso. Wayengumshoshozeli omkhulu, ehlambalaza ngokweyisa, futhi ethanda inkolo—wayethandaza ngaphambi kokuqaliswa kwempi.
‘EMthandazweni wakhe Wamasosha’ (“Soldiers Prayer”) ka-January 1, 1944, uPatton wayenxusile: “Nkulunkulu wawoBaba, osiholele ekunqobeni njalo ngezinqola nangemikhumbi, siza uqhubeke ngokuqondisa kwakho okushukumisayo kulempi yethu enkulu kunazo zonke. . . . Sinike ukunqoba, Nkosi.”
Ukuhlaselwa KweYurophu
Ngo-June 6, 1944, amaButho ahlaselayo Asizanayo awela iNtuba yaseNgilandi eyihele elikhulu kunawo wonke ayeke abonwa yizwe, ehlela ezingwini zaseNormandy ebhekene nokuhlasela okukhulu kwamaJalimane. Indawo yokumisa yayisencane lapho i-Third Army yethu ifika ezinsukwini ezingu-30 kamuva. Sachitha ubusuku emigedeni yokucasha kuyilapho izindiza zamaJalimane zazihlasela lendawo kanzima ngamabhomu.
Ngo-July 25 amaButho Asizanayo asuka kuleyondawo yogu eminyene, futhi esikhathini esingangesonto kamuva i-Third Army yethu yakhululwa ukuba iqhubekele phambili ingene eNhlonhlweni yaseBrittany. Khona-ke savulindlela silibangise empumalanga sidlula amabutho amaJalimane ahoxayo siqonde eMfuleni iSeine eduze neParis. Ngo-September, izinqola zempi namabutho kaPatton kwase kuphakathi empumalanga France, ngemva komunye wemikhankaso yezempi ephawuleka kakhulu kunayo yonke emlandweni wanamuhla. Ngokujabula, saba nomuzwa wokuthi ukuphela kwempi kwakuseduze.
Nokho, wonke amathuba anjalo anyamalala lapho ngokungazelele izimpahla eziningi namabutho kuhlukaniselwa amabutho eNduna Enkulu yaseBrithani uMontgomery ophikweni olusenyakatho. Lapho kwaqaliswa ukuhlaselwa okukhulu kwamabutho amaJalimane eHolland. Kodwa kwavela inhlekelele lapho iqembu lamabutho asemoyeni ngokungahlosiwe limisa phakathi kwamabutho ahlomile aseJalimane anamandla futhi lanqotshwa. Amaqembu asele amaButho Asizanayo awazange aqhubeke, futhi ukuhlasela kwahluleka.
IMpi Yezinkumbula
UHitler nojenene bakhe basebenzisa ithuba lokumisa amaqembu kabusha, bebiza amabutho amasha ayelindile futhi ngokunyenya bemisa ibutho elikhulu elihlome ngezinqola zempi le-panzer eduze nalapho amabutho ase-U.S. ayembalwa khona. Ukuhlasela kwamaNazi, okwakubizwa ngokuthi iMpi Yezinkumbula, kwaqala ebusuku buka-December 16, ngaphansi kwefu elimnyama. Kwakuhloselwe ukuthumela ngempoqo inkumbula yamabutho amaJalimane kuze kube soLwandle oluseNyakatho, ihlukanise phakathi amaButho Asizanayo futhi ithumbe itheku lawo losizo eliyinhloko.
Ibutho lamaJalimane langena ngentuba futhi ngesikhashana nje lase livimbezele amabutho aseMelika eBastogne. Ngokushesha i-Third Army ngaphansi kukaJenene Patton yahoxa, futhi ngemva kokumasha isikhathi eside, ekugcineni safika ukuze sihlasele ngamandla izinhlu zamabutho e-panzer. Nokho, ngenxa yamafu amnyama nemvula okwathatha isikhathi cishe esingangesonto, ibutho lezindiza lalingenakusetshenziswa.
Umthandazo KaPatton
Ngo-December 22 kwenzeka okuthile okwathinta ukujula kwenkinga yami enkulu engokomoya. Emasontweni athile ngaphambili, uJenene Patton watshela umphathi wabaqeqeshi bakhe ukuba alungiselele umthandazo olotshwe emapheshaneni ukuze usetshenziswe kamuva ezinqabeni ze-German Siegfried line ezazikanise entshonalanga yoMfula iRhine. Kodwa manje uPatton wayesakaze amakhophi angaba ngu-350 000 phakathi namahora ambalwa, ikhophi ngayinye kulelo nalelososha le-Third Army. Wawunxusa uBaba ukuba “athulise lezimvula ezinkulu” futhi “asinikeze isimo sezulu esihle ngenxa yempi” ukuze iButho lase-U.S. likwazi “ukubhubhisa ukucindezela nobubi bezitha zethu, futhi limise ubulungisa baKho phakathi kwabantu nezizwe.”
Ngokuphawulekayo, ngokungazelele ngalobobusuku isibhakabhaka sacwatha futhi saba sihle ezinsukwini ezinhlanu ezalandela. Lokhu kwavumela amasosha nezindiza zamaButho Asizanayo ukuba zihlasele wonke amaviyo amaNazi, ziletha umonakalo nembubhiso kuwo. Lokhu kwasho ukuphela kwamandla okugcina empini kaHitler, futhi amabutho akhe anqotshiwe aqala ukuhoxa.
UPatton wayejabule. Wathi, “Ngicabanga ukuthi kuzonyatheliswa eminye yaleyomithandazo engu-100 000. INkosi ingasohlangothini lwethu, futhi kufanele siqhubeke nokuyazisa ngalokho esikudingayo.” Kodwa ngazibuza, ‘Ingabe isibhakabhaka sasingeke sicwathe yini ngo-December 23 kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lomthandazo wawusakaziwe noma cha?’ Abesibikezelo sezulu babechazile ukuthi kwakufike umoya obandayo ovela ezingwadule zaseRussia futhi wawuxoshe lawomafu aguqubele.
Ukuzinikela KweJalimane NeJalimane Langemva Kwempi
Ukuhlasela kwasentwasahlobo kwamaButho Asizanayo kwaqeda umbuso kaHitler, owazinikela ngo-May 7, 1945. Lolosuku lwangithola ngisemzini othile waseJalimane ezweni laseRhine lapho ngahlangana khona nowayezoba umkami othandekayo ngesikhathi esizayo, uLilly, umuntu owadingiswa ovela eBelgium. Ngo-November 1945, ngathola imvume yokukhululwa kwami empini futhi ngajoyina umkhakha ophathelene nezomlando, ibutho lase-U.S. elalisebenza eJalimane. Ngo-December, mina noLilly sashadiswa umphathi-dolobha waseFrankfurt.
Lesigaba esisebenza ngezomlando sasinesabelo sokuhlanganisa umlando walomsebenzi. Sasisebenzisa amakhulu ojenene baseJalimane abathunjiwe ekubhaleni umlando wempi ngasohlangothini lwamaJalimane. Ngahlala iminyaka emihlanu eJalimane njengomqondisi wokugcinwa kwezincwadi ezilotshiwe zomlando. Khona-ke, sinezingane zethu ezimbili, uGary noLizette, sathuthela e-United States.
Ngemva kokuvakashela abazali bami, ngabhalisa eYunivesithi yaseMontana. Ngangicabange ukuthi ubuhlobo bami nezempi babuphelile. Nokho, entwasahlobo ka-1954, njengoba ngase ngizothola iziqu zobuchwepheshe ezifundweni ze-anthropology, ababili engangisebenza nabo bangazisa ngesikhundla esasivulekile somqondisi/umphathi e-U.S. Army Artillery and Missile Center Museum e-Oklahoma. Ngafaka isicelo futhi ngamukelwa, sase sithutha.
Imisebenzi Yasemnyuziyamu Wezempi
Ngase ngisebenza ngomlando wezempi futhi. Ngangena ekucwaningeni, ukutholwa kwezinto ezakhiwe ngobuciko, imibukiso, ezohambo, ukufundisa, ukumbiwa kwemivubukulo, nemikhosi yezempi nengokomlando. Ngahlela iqembu labakhweli bamahhashi abagqoke imvunulo yomkhosi wasendulo elaba nengxenye embukisweni wokumiswa kukamongameli eWashington, D.C., ngo-1973. Ngamisa futhi nehholo lombukiso wamafulegi, elibonisa umlando namasiko efulegi lesizwe namafulegi amabutho ezempi. Phakathi neminyaka lomnyuziyamu wezikhali wakhula usukela esakhiweni esisodwa waba umnyuziyamu wezempi omkhulu kunayo yonke ezweni.
Ngalesosikhathi, izingane zethu zazikhula. Indodana yethu, uGary, ngemva kokuphothula esikoleni esiphakeme, yazizwa ilahlekile. Yajoyina iButho Lemikhumbi futhi yakhonza eMpini yaseVietnam. Ngemva kokuba ichithe iminyaka emibili phesheya kwezilwandle, sabonga kakhulu ngokubuya kwayo ekhaya ilondekile. Ngokusobala, izimpi ziyahluleka ukulondoloza ukuthula. Kunalokho, siye sabona umbukwane wamazwe angamalungu eZizwe Ezihlangene elwa wodwa kuyilapho ukuntula ukudla nezifo kubhubhisa abantu bawo.
Umhlalaphansi Nokukhungatheka
Ekugcineni, ngemva kweminyaka engu-33 yobudlelwane nezempi, nganquma ukuthi sekuyisikhathi sokuthatha umhlalaphansi. Ujenene ophethe nezisebenzi bangenzela umkhosi okhethekile womhlalaphansi, futhi undunankulu wesifundazwe sase-Oklahoma wabiza usuku lwango-July 20, 1979 ngegama lami. Ngamukela izincwadi ezazincoma ukuba kwami nengxenye emikhakheni yomlando neminyuziyamu yezempi.
Kwakufanele ukuba indebe yami ichichime. Nokho, lapho ngibheka emuva, angizange ngithokoze. Kunokuba udalule amaqiniso asabekayo empi, umsebenzi wami wawugxile ekuyingcweliseni, ugcizelela amasiko, inyufomu nezimendlela, izikhali namasu okuphaka impi, imicimbi nemikhosi, nemibukiso. Ngisho noJenene Dwight D. Eisenhower, kamuva owaba ngumongameli wase-U.S. we-34, wathi: “Umongo wempi inzondo, indlala nobhadane lwezifo . . . Ngiyayizonda impi. Impi ayixazululi lutho.”
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngathola ukuthi umama ka-Eisenhower wayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova—inkolo eyase ingithinta kakade ngokufunda komkami iBhayibheli noFakazi. Waba uFakazi obhapathiziwe ngo-1979, ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngaphambi kokuba ngithathe umhlalaphansi. Wayebonakala eguqukile. Intokozo nesifiso sakhe sokuhlanganyela ayekufundile sasisikhulu kangangokuthi indodana yethu kanye nomkayo, uKarin, baqala ukufunda iBhayibheli, futhi phakathi nesikhathi esingangonyaka nabo baba oFakazi ababhapathiziwe.
Nokho, ngangingabaza. Kwakubonakala kungenakwenzeka ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezongenela ngokoqobo ezindabeni zesintu futhi aphelise lelizwe bese engenisa izwe elisha, elingenazimpi. Nokho, nami futhi ngaqala ukufunda noFakazi, ngokuyinhloko ukuze ngithole ukuthi izinkolelo zabo ezingokwenkolo zazinaso yini isisekelo esinengqondo. Ngesizinda sami namakhono aqeqeshiwe okucwaninga, ngacabanga ukuthi kwakungeke kuthathe isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba ngithole amaphutha nokuphikisana ezinkolelweni zabo.
Indlela Entsha Yokuphila
Nokho, njengoba isifundo sami seBhayibheli sasithuthuka, ngokushesha ngathola ukuthi nganginephutha kangakanani. Ukungabaza kwami kwaphela njengokungathi inkwethu yobumpumputhe obungokwenkolo yayiqala ukusuka emehlweni ami. Ngempela, ngakwazi ukubona ukuthi kunesisekelo esinengqondo sokwethembela esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu sezwe elisha elinokulunga. (2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Futhi yeka impumuzo okwaba yiyo ukwazi ukuthi ububi nokungabi nabulungisa manje okudlangile phakathi kwesintu kukhona ngoba uSathane, hhayi uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, ungumbusi walesimiso sezinto! (Johane 14:30; 2 Korinte 4:4) Ngakho, uJehova uNkulunkulu akathathi-hlangothi ezimpini zezizwe, kodwa uyabakhathalela abantu.—Johane 3:16.
Ngo-1983, ngabhapathizwa emhlanganweni omkhulu woFakazi BakaJehova eBillings, eMontana, kanjalo ngibonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova. Mina kanye nendodana yami, uGary, sikhonza njengabadala emabandleni esikuwo. Mina noLilly sibonga kakhulu ngokuthi uJehova, ngeZwi lakhe noFakazi bakhe, uye wenza ukuba izinhliziyo zethu zilamukele iqiniso leBhayibheli ukuze siqonde okushiwo yizenzakalo eziyinhlekelele eziphawula lesizukulwane. (Mathewu 24:3-14; 1 Johane 2:17)—Njengoba ilandiswa uGillett Griswold.
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Izakhamuzi zaseParis ziyabaleka njengoba amasosha aseJalimane edubula, ngo-August 1944 (U.S. National Archives photo)
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U.S. National Archives photo
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Izinqola zempi zebutho lamaJalimane ezidutshulwe ngamabhomu zashiswa, eFrance, ngo-1944
[Umthombo]
U.S. Department of Defense
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Nginomkami nendodakazi ngo-1947